About Me

Monday, January 30, 2012

I'm proud to announce the release of "A Journey of the Heart" in MLR Press's "10-Minute Read" series. This short is one of my most romantic stories to date...and it's only $1.99.

Here's what it's about:
Take a journey back to that magical moment in time when two lovers first meet. In this case, it’s on board a train bound for England’s seaside community, Brighton. There, our narrator and his soon-to-be-true-love meet for the first time and what follows is an encounter so erotic and romantic that it has to be destined for a lifetime. They may have been strangers on a train when they boarded, but that all changes with just a meeting of the eyes, igniting a spark leading to a lifelong connection.

And here's an excerpt:
It was ironic, he supposed, that they were making this journey by train. After all, it was on a train that they had first met some ten years ago when both of them were on a vacation in England and taking the train from London to Brighton. There was a certain symmetry, a sort of coming-full-circle feeling to their current trip.

They were headed south, and the train rolled along so smoothly that he almost didn't feel its motion. It was cruel, he thought, that they were forced to sit in separate compartments, but that was just the way things were. They needed to get to where they were going, and, since the arrangements were last minute, they were in no position to argue with the railway.

He sat back in his seat, grateful at least that he was spared having anyone else sit next to him, at least so far. Outside the window, autumn was in its full-blown glory, and fiery reds, oranges, and yellows burst out of the hillsides, creating some sort of northeast display worthy of a Charles Ives painting. The sky was the bright shade of blue, almost electric, that seemed to come only in the fall. It looked as though the birds, which he occasionally observed from his window, could be stained by the liquid color. Outside and all about him, life bustled, hurtling forward in its restless ebb and flow, unaware.

He thought about Jim in the other train car, wishing he could touch him, wondering if he was feeling as lonely, lost, and separated. He turned in his seat, pressing his head against the cool window glass, and shut his eyes. Whispering and promising himself he would stop should anyone occupy the seat next to him, he gave in to the urge to talk to Jim. He needed to talk to Jim, even if they were separated by several train car lengths, needed to make that connection.

He had to.

"Honey, I hope you're doing okay back there. Are you comfortable? The trip isn't long, so don't panic. We'll be together again soon. I'll make sure of that."

He glanced across the aisle. There was a woman in jeans and a sweater, tending to a little boy, setting out a juice box and animal crackers on a tray before him. The little boy bounced up and down in his seat, and his mother was busy trying to keep him quiet, occupied. He was sure she was too busy--and distracted--to hear him.

"Remember that train trip we took when we first met?" He snickered, trying not to make any noise. "We both got on the train in London at St. Pancras Station, and I saw you right away. The station that sunny summer morning was filled with travelers like us, but somehow you stood out to me, like there was some sort of shimmer around you. I suppose there was." He closed his eyes, pressing his forehead harder into the cool glass. His whispering had a furious intensity. "That shimmering was love, even though I didn't know it then." He laughed. "I would have just called it lust.

"But there you were in the busy station with its airy domed glass ceiling. My God, it seemed like the summer light was shining down only on you. Who knows why? Back then, you were just a boy, fresh out of McGill University, on a summer trip that was a graduation gift from your parents." He shook his head, but it was with pleasure at the images dancing across the inside of his eyelids. St. Pancras Eurostar Train station was gorgeous, a lovely melding of the old and the new, with an arching glass ceiling that at once mimicked and glorified the summer sky. Outside, its spires reached up toward that same sky and the station's red brick Gothic architecture promised excitement, travel, and adventure. If he had only known how much adventure when he walked into the station. Life-changing adventure! Love at first sight! Naughty doings in the bathroom of a high-speed train! The smile spread across his face, and he warmed at the memory.

But the glory of the St. Pancras Station couldn't hold a candle to the real image of beauty: Jim, who had stood there in a simple white T-shirt and cargo shorts, his hairy, muscled calves drawing his eyes first. He drank in Jim's sculpted calves, defined by muscle and the down of pale brown hair. He remembered looking them up and down, watching as they disappeared into the loose khaki fabric on top and the hiking boots and slouching socks below. Jim had a worn backpack strapped to his broad back. Tan, defined biceps strained the simple white cotton of his shirt. "And when you turned my way, sweetheart, I was done, cooked, ruined for anyone else. That face, I suddenly felt, had been waiting for me all my life."

Saturday, January 28, 2012

Today, I'm over at Babes in Boyland, writing about not always playing according to the rules when writing genre fiction. I'd love it if you'd come by and take a look, maybe leave a comment...

In part, I say:

I admit it—I have never been one for whom the rules of genre apply.

Sometimes, I think that’s to my detriment as a writer because I know as sure as I’m sitting here in Seattle, looking out my window at a gray and damp January day, that if I would just play by the rules I’d sell more books.

Romances? Over and over, I’ve been told that it’s the happily-ever-afters that sell, or, for the love of God, if you can’t do that, at least give me a happily-for-now. And I can do that—sometimes—if my characters follow that course and it doesn’t betray my story line. I’ve been told that we need alpha males or certain types of heroes and I get that. Readers want to open a book and know what to expect.

So, writers who deliver the expected, like restaurants that reliably turn out the same food whether you’re in Pittsburgh, Kansas City, Denver or San Francisco, are rewarded. They often see predictably good sales.

So why can’t I just say the hell with it? I want to make as much money as I can, so I’ll write m/m romances with heroic men who end up in the arms of their own true loves by the end of the story, with a sterling and bright future ahead of them. Why not do that?

Friday, January 27, 2012

A friend of mine was passing this around via e-mail and I, always on the lookout for a good blog post, thought I'd share it with you. The idea is to share 10 very personal things about yourself. Mine are below (no snickering). If you're feeling adventurous or revealing, maybe you'll reveal your own ten confessions after mine.

1. Sometimes, when I'm just about to fall asleep or am particularly stressed, I still suck my thumb.
2. I am old enough to remember the Herman's Hermits and my older sister and cousin going to see them at Cobo Hall in Detroit.
3. My favorite show (and I was a fanatic) as a child was Dark Shadows.
4. The first time I ever had sex was my senior year of high school was with a girl in the front seat of her car in the parking lot of an elementary school (it was late at night).
5. For me, The Peoples Court and Judge Judy are guilty pleasures.
6. I'm not sure of the clinical definition of addictive personality, but I probably have one.
7. I believe I self hypnotize when I write.
8. I laugh in my sleep and often laugh so hard, I wake myself (and my partner) up.
9. I cry very easily. A Hallmark commercial can bring a tear to my eye.
10. I have never been to San Francisco.

Thursday, January 19, 2012

Feature Article: The Myth About Being Liked (on Facebook)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
These days it seems everyone is after "social proof," that elusive number of Likes or Followers that will make you seem part of the "in crowd." Unfortunately getting someone to like you is only half the battle, you must now get them to stay "in like" with you.

Studies show that the expectation of content does vary by age, but the direction is still the same: it's more than just getting someone to "Like" your page, you now must learn how to keep them. With all the social media options out there it's critical to not just build numbers, but maintain them, too. In order to do this, it's important to know what users want and when they want to see you post new content.

As I pointed out earlier, content expectations vary by age. For example, Facebook users between the ages of 18-26 have the lowest expectations of receiving something in exchange for their "Like" endorsement. When you go up the next rung, ages 27 to 34, they are more likely to expect something solid delivered in a Facebook update. But the users with the highest expectations, and those you are likely serving, is the 35-51 age group. This is also the group most likely to unlike a brand if it fails to meet expectations.

But it's not only about having great content, it's also about creating great engagement. A study done by Roost.com evaluated 10,000 Facebook fans across 50 industries and found that certain posts leverage more engagement than others. Here are some of their findings:

* Photo posts get 50% more impressions than any other type of post
* Quotes get 22 percent more interactions
* Questions generate almost twice as many comments
* Ask questions to spark dialog (questions often see twice as many comments) and consider fill in the blank posts which tend to receive 9 times more comments than other posts

Now you have the content down, and you know about the types of posts that will get more play than others, is there more to posting than just content and post-type? You bet. There are also time-specific posts that often do better than others. Here are some quick tips on how to improve your Facebook Wall posts:

* Posts delivered between 8 p.m. and 7 a.m. tend to receive 20% higher user engagement
* Best day for Fan engagement? Wednesday - up by 8%
* How many posts does it take to increase user engagement? If you're thinking more frequent posts you are wrong. Posting one to two times per day produces 71% higher user engagement.
* When it comes to Facebook more is not better, sometimes it's just more. Posting with 80 characters or less receives 66% higher engagement. Very concise posts, between one and 40 characters, generate the highest engagement.

Finally, users do vary. How can you really know if your fans are engaged with your content?

Understanding Facebook Content Interaction

Fan Pages now have a fabulous feature called Facebook Insights. Head on over there for some really interesting information and insightful (hence the name) data.

First, you can find Insights on the left side of your page. Once you're there you can see all sorts of data on the information you post.

1) Reach: This is the number of unique people who have seen the post for 28 days after publishing the post.
2) Engaged Users: These are people who have engaged with your post in some way: i.e. clicked the link.
3) Talking about this: This is an interesting number and you've no doubt seen this pop up right under your "Likes." These actions are: liking the post, commenting, sharing the post, responding to a question, or RSVPing to an event.
4) Virality: This is the number of people who have created a story from your page post.

Watch these numbers for some great insight into what fires up your fans and what leaves them cold.

It's not just about getting "Liked," it's about staying "Liked." Creating insightful, helpful, and engaging content is one piece to the puzzle, the other is timing and receptiveness of your fans. Though I've outlined 'general' user guidelines in this piece, be sure to check the Facebook Insights for key data that will help your fan base thrive!

When Aaron finds Mavis, an emaciated and timid Boston terrier, at a pet adoption fair, his heart goes out to her--irrevocably.

When Christian, who is manning the adoption fair for the Humane Society that fateful autumn Saturday, finds Aaron, his heart goes out to him--irrevocably.

I Heart Boston Terriers is all about embracing love, whether it's for someone who walks on four legs, or someone who walks on two. The Boston terrier Mavis' journey back to wholeness and finding her forever home runs parallel to the story of two men discovering one another at just that perfect moment--a moment that defies logic, propriety, and common sense.

But then when do the dictates of love follow a rational course?

Come along for a journey about a man and his dog and see how that journey teaches him the truth about love and making a caring connection that just might last a lifetime.

And here's a little taste:
...Christian returned to Mavis. "I want to see you make this your forever home, Mavis. It's a place where you can feel safer and safer with every passing day."

Aaron loved what he was telling the dog, whether she understood or not. Aaron believed any creature could pick up on the caring in Christian's voice; he certainly could. But he worried about Becca. She hadn't left the door open for second chances or a "forever home" and Aaron was doubtful this one visit from Christian could change things so much that she would allow Mavis to stay after all.

One of the last things she had said, before leaving for her Internet date, was, "I was going to wear those Jimmy Choos today, too. Damn it. Those shoes were mantraps, I tell you." She had laughed, but Aaron could hear the regret and longing in her voice. He would never understand how someone, his sister especially, could allow a pair of shoes to take precedence over a living thing.

Christian held Mavis up and out to Aaron. "Here. You try."

Awkwardly, as if he were taking a newborn from Christian, he took Mavis into his arms, cradling her and letting one arm support her along her soft and warm belly.

"Just talk to her," Christian said. "Just like I did--let her know you care, but make sure she understands you're in charge."

Aaron met Christian's expectant gaze.

"Go on," Christian encouraged.

Aaron didn't know if he was doing the right thing, continuing to build a bond with a dog his sister had insisted go back to the pound. But Mavis was looking up at him with appellate eyes, as if she too were waiting for him to make his move. Aaron doubted anyone could resist those eyes; they were perfectly round, a rich deep brown, and stared out of a face that was, all at once, wise, soulful, and a little melancholy.

He kind of let himself drift into the dog's deep gaze and almost forgot Christian was there. He certainly forgot about Becca's wishes as he began to speak, gently stroking Mavis' head all the while.

"You and me, kid. We're two of a kind. Alone. A bit unwanted, yes." He massaged her neck. "But you and me, we both have a lot to offer, don't we? So we're not gonna feel sorry for ourselves, are we? We're both survivors, too, and we're not gonna let this temporary setback get us down permanently. We're going to remember that life is a series of sunshine and rainy days--and no one escapes either. That's the thing we have to bear in mind: that the rain does stop falling, the sun does come out again. It happens for all of us.

"It's happening for you, little stinker. Right now. You've found someone who's decided to give you a home, someone who's made the most important decision a person can make--to love." He let himself feel the solidity of Mavis' compact body against his own and knew, right then, that come hell or high water, sisters or shoes, nothing was going to come between this man and his dog.

"And while you may not love me yet, I think you will. If you get no other sense from my words than this, remember: I am not going to let anything bad happen to you, ever. Not if I can help it."

He released Mavis, setting her gently down at his feet, where she promptly curled up, calmer than he had ever seen her.

Gradually, he came back to reality and realized he'd probably just made an ass of himself in front of Christian. What he had said to the dog was heartfelt, but what if Christian had seen them as nothing more than Hallmark platitudes? He was lifting his head to give the guy one of his patented sheepish grins, when he noticed Christian looking at him.

If he didn't know better, he would say the guy was touched. And not "touched in the head" either, although he might be that as well, but touched as in something really got through to him.

Christian slowly shook his head. He didn't say anything for a long while and then what he said next wasn't at all what Aaron expected.

Tuesday, January 10, 2012

"Caregiver is not what one might consider a “typical” m/m romance, but nothing written by Mr. Reed can truly be called “typical.” This is a story worth reading, however. It will touch you, perhaps sadden you, and make you think of the nature and meaning of love..."

Wednesday, January 4, 2012

People ask me if I am a "seat-of-the-panster" or a "plotter" when it comes to writing novels and I always tell them I'm the former.

But it occured to me that saying I work by the seat of the pants doesn't mean I don't have a plan. It simply means I listen to my instincts and that I follow my characters where they lead me. I am open to detours, changes in direction, and plot reversals that I would have never anticipated.

I work better this way. I think the writing and story that emerge are more spontaneous and more entertaining to me as a writer and hopefully you as a reader. I have tried planning things down to the last detail and what comes out is often stodgy, dry, and certainly not to my liking. And if I don't like it, why should I expect anyone else to?

So I was thinking about an analogy as I work on my current book-in-progress and how every chapter, every scene is like a bead or a pearl I'm threading onto a necklace. Like a jewelry designer creating a necklace, I know roughly what my end product will be and its general shape and form.

But not knowing exactly how the necklace will become a complete whole, nor what it will look like at the very end, is one of the true joys of creating a story.

Tuesday, January 3, 2012

I have decided to make 2012 a year when I will give those of you who follow this blog a look into my life via photographs. Occasionally, I'll post something that caught my eye and that I snapped, probably using my phone.

I hope you enjoy this shot, taken on the afternoon of New Year's Day on a walk with my dog, Lily. This houseboat is on Seattle's Lake Union and is about a ten-minute walk from where I live. I just loved the color of the sky and the houseboat seemed like something I wanted to remember. Don't be surprised if it turns up in a story or a book someday.

Monday, January 2, 2012

Carey Parrish brings back the residents of Number 56 Kensington Street, Holland Park, London in his new novel, Big Business.

Carey says: "I was very pleased that the characters in Marengo struck such a chord with readers that even almost two years later I was still receiving emails asking for more of them. Whenever I write, my only goal is to tell a good story that I hope readers will remember. So Big Business is the answer to all those requests I got for a continuation of the characters from Marengo. I hope the new novel is as satisfying as the first."

SYNOPSIS
Busybody landlady Mrs. Shugart, with her ally Mr. Humbolt at her side, has an empty flat for rent, but her tenant, upwardly mobile attorney Ms. Sandra Leverock, is anything but what she was hoping for. Especially when she discovers that Ms. Leverock is the niece of her oldest nemesis, Margaret Armstrong.

American journalists Rob Brent and Jeff Schrader are contemplating a life changing opportunity that promises them more angst than joy, and upstairs neighbor DJ Pack finds himself attracted to Ms. Leverock in spite of the fact that she's engaged to billionaire Edgar Allardice.

As the neighbors settle into their new circumstances, Mrs. Shugart finds herself grappling with a past that she thought was settled long ago. Ms. Leverock and DJ grow closer, while Margaret becomes embroiled in the mystery of who is trying to buy out her shares in her late husband's corporation, and she enlists Rob and Jeff to assist her in the quest. And Allardice, determined to see his empire expand by any mean necessary, is pulling the strings like a puppet master.

Murder, intrigue, and corporate ruthlessness combine to teach the residents of Number 56 Kensington Street just how dangerous the world of big business can be.

Best Series All Around
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Supernatural Mates series by Amber Kell
Blood Slave: Nibirui Vampire Warriors by DJ Manly and AJ Llewellyn
Phoenix Agency by Desiree Holt
How Not to…by Stephanie Burke
Wolfman series by Brannan Black
Badlands Series by Marteeka Karland and Shara Azod
Whispering Pines Ranch Series by SJD Peterson
Marie Harte's Dawn Endevour Series
Genetic Attraction Series by Tara Lain
Lady Blue Crew by Stormy Glenn, Lynn Hagen
Cowboy Boots Series by Natalie Acres
Sherman Series by Dominique Eastwick
Truth or Dare Series by Lee Brazil
Dark/Dream Hunters by Sherrilyn Kenyon
Hollow Series by Kim Harrison
In Death Series by JD Robb

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Real Men. True Love.

I draw inspiration from the lives of gay men to craft stories that quicken the heartbeat, engage emotions, and keep the pages turning. Although I dabble in horror, dark suspense, and comedy, my attention always returns to the power of love. I'm addicted to books--I've written and had published more than 35 novels and counting, some of which have won awards and made it to the top of the Amazon bestseller charts. I'm forever at work on yet another book. Lambda Literary called me: "A writer that doesn't disappoint…" I live in Palm Springs, CA with my beloved husband who tries, mostly successfully, to keep me out of trouble. When I'm not writing, I'm cooking, reading, running, or traveling.

Visit (and please follow) my Amazon author page to see all the books I have waiting for you to dive into!